


A Maudlin Christmas

by selenehekate



Series: My Next-Gen Head Canon [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 17:44:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17187506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/selenehekate/pseuds/selenehekate
Summary: Who should arrive at the annual Weasley-Potter Christmas party but Lee Jordan?





	A Maudlin Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I normally don't include spoilers/warnings at the beginning of my oneshots, but I'm aware this is a squick for some people. This marks the beginning of an age-gap relationship saga, though nothing untoward happens when Roxie is underage. All stories that center around Roxie and Lee in this series are clearly marked. You have been warned.
> 
> Story takes place in December 2015

The last time she saw him, she was twelve.

Roxanne Weasley had been at her family's Christmas party - the giant, traditional Weasley-Potter extravaganza - and for some odd reason, Lee Jordan was there. It was uncommon for people not related to either a Weasley or a Potter to appear at the party, though not unheard of. Occasionally, Minerva McGonagall or Hagrid would turn up for the festivities at Grimmauld Place and stay for Christmas dinner; every other year, Neville Longbottom would venture forth with his wife, and Luna Lovegood had even attended the year prior. This was, however, the first time Lee had ever made an appearance.

George and Angelina were quick to usher him over to Harry's table on Christmas day - which Roxie amusedly noted they had no right to do - and Lee ended up situated on the edge of the room and next to her. She didn't mind; Lee had never treated her like an ignorant child, and he was always good for a laugh. Though Lee rarely came around anymore, Roxie could remember Lee being the life of drunken parties from her youth, back before her father had gotten sober. Actually, if she thought about it, Roxie really hadn't seen him much since.

"What brings you here?" Roxie asked after Harry's traditional Christmas toast. She - along with her father and the other children - had toasted with sparkling water. "Don't you generally go away for the holidays with one of your many girls?" Ever since Roxie could remember, Lee Jordan had entertained a revolving door of giggling witches, each lasting no longer than the life cycle of a fruit fly.

"Not this year," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm actually... well, I'm leaving the country."

She couldn't stop her brows from going up. "On the run from Aurors?"

He chuckled. "Not quite."

"Where to?"

"All over the place," he answered with a shrug. Roxie noted that his neck movements were stiff, and she got the impression that he felt distinctly awkward about this line of conversation. Perhaps he didn't want to be talking about this with her - perhaps he didn't want to be talking about this at all. "I love to travel. Get out of England."

There was such malice and sorrow in his words that Roxie found herself asking, "Whatever for?"

"Oh, I'll tell you one day, darling. When you're older," he muttered, his voice weak and tired. He reached for the glass of fire whiskey in front of him.

This served to do nothing more than annoy Roxie, though.  _So much for treating me like an adult,_  she thought as she slid her hands demurely into her lap. And though, on every other day of the year, Roxie could bite her tongue and keep her true feelings to herself, on that day, she couldn't manage. "Of course. Perhaps when I'm older, I'll better understand what it feels like to want to run away. Because that's certainly not juvenile."

He blinked, shock registering across his face. "That's not-"

But she cut him off as she stood. "Don't worry, Mr. Jordan. Your secret fear is safe with me." Her words could freeze fire, they were so cold. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really should go and sit with my cousins. They don't talk about things that are over my head. In fact, we'll probably play Exploding Snap all throughout dinner." Her voice was dripping with irritation as she added, "How fun."

She stepped away from Lee and joined her cousins at the other end of the table. A quick glance back told her that Lee was still staring after her in shock, and she couldn't be more pleased by the result. Maybe next time, he'd think twice about belittling her.

Of course, Roxie couldn't have known it then, but next time wouldn't occur for another four years.

* * *

If you enjoyed this, please check out "[Ghosts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17201027)," the second part of this series.

 


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